Man trying to repair rig killed in Huntington Beach

HUNTINGTON BEACH – Investigators are looking into the death of a man who apparently was working on a vehicle parked on the side of the road in a Huntington Beach industrial area on Monday afternoon, authorities said.

Fire and police officials confirmed that they were called to a business in the 5490 block of Research Drive, near Graham Street, about 3:30 p.m. for what was initially reported as an industrial accident.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Orange County Coroner’s Office officials on Monday night identified him as Rene Herrera Sr., 56, of Los Angeles.

Herrera had pulled a tractor trailer over to the shoulder of the roadway and was attempting to make some sort of repairs when he apparently became stuck between a tire or wheel and the trailer, said Jeff Lopez, a battalion chief with the Huntington Beach fire department.

The exact mechanical problem Herrera was trying to address is still under investigation, Lopez said, as is the exact cause of the man’s death.

It wasn’t immediately clear if Herrera or the vehicle had any ties to nearby businesses.

The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health was initially called to the scene, but the investigation was turned over to the Huntington Beach Police Department when the state officials determined that Herrera’s death had not occurred on a work site, Lopez said.